Sept 15 Monday: Our Lady of Sorrows:Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35

Our Lady of Sorrows – The Queen of Martyrs

Today the Church remembers the spiritual martyrdom of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and her intimate participation in the sufferings of her Divine Son. She is rightly called Queen of Martyrs because she endured in spirit all that Jesus suffered in his Passion and death. The Fathers of the Church note that Mary’s interior anguish was greater than the bodily agonies of the martyrs, and she consciously offered her sorrows to God for our sake (cf. CCC 964).

The principal biblical references to Mary’s sorrows are Luke 2:35 (“a sword will pierce your own soul too”) and John 19:26-27, where she stands beneath the Cross and receives the beloved disciple as her son. Early Christian writers understood Simeon’s prophecy as pointing to the grief Mary would experience as she watched her Son die.

Historical development of the feast.

Originally, the Church kept two separate commemorations: (1) the spiritual martyrdom of the Blessed Virgin throughout her life, and (2) her compassion for Jesus during his Passion and death. Devotion to Mary’s sorrows flourished especially through the Seven Dolors devotion, which arose from a vision granted to St. Bridget of Sweden in the thirteenth century. In 1239, the seven founders of the Servite Order adopted Mary’s sorrows as their main spiritual focus, meditating on her standing at the foot of the Cross. This commemoration was once kept on the Friday before Good Friday until Pope Pius XII placed it on 15 September, immediately after the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.

Mystics have reflected deeply on this union of suffering. For example, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich described visions of Mary collecting the Precious Blood of Jesus along the Way of the Cross. Inspired by such accounts, Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ includes a scene where Claudia, the wife of Pilate, gives Mary cloths to gather the blood of Jesus from the streets of Jerusalem.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary

These seven events mirror the sorrows of many parents who mourn their own children:

1. Simeon’s prophecy (Luke 2:34-35).
2. The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15).
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-50).
4. Meeting Jesus on the road to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31).
5. Standing at the foot of the Cross (John 19:25-27).
6. Receiving the body of Jesus (Luke 23:50-54).
7. The burial of Jesus (Luke 23:55-56).

Life messages

1. Pray for suffering mothers and families. On this feast we remember those who endure similar trials today. We pray for mothers in war-torn regions like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Nigeria, and elsewhere, and for mothers in every land who grieve for their children, soldiers and civilians alike.
2. Examine our own complicity. With repentant hearts we acknowledge that our sins contributed to the suffering of Jesus and Mary. As the Stabat Mater laments, “Through her heart his sorrow sharing, all his bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword has passed.”

By uniting our sufferings to Mary’s and offering them to God, we participate more deeply in the saving work of Christ and allow our pain to be transformed into intercession and compassion for others.

References: Luke 2:35; John 19:26-27; Matthew 2:13-15; Luke 2:41-50; Luke 23:27-31, 50-56; John 19:25-27; Catechism of the Catholic Church 964.

Sept 16 Tuesday Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian Bishop, Martyrs. Lk 7:11-17.

Jesus Raises the Widow’s Son at Nain

Today’s Gospel recounts one of the three resurrections performed by Jesus recorded in the Gospels: the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44), the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:21-43), and the son of the widow at Nain (Luke 7:11-17). Only Luke narrates this particular story. Nain, a small village about six miles southeast of Nazareth, appears nowhere else in Scripture. The scene is especially tragic: a widow who had already lost her husband now loses her only son, her only source of protection and support. In the ancient world such a loss often meant destitution.

Jesus’ human compassion.

Seeing the funeral procession, Jesus is “moved with pity” for the grieving mother. Some Fathers of the Church suggest that he foresaw his own Mother, Mary, at the foot of his Cross (John 19:25-27), also a widow losing her only Son. Out of sheer compassion, Jesus approaches her, saying, “Do not weep.” Then he touches the bier, an act that would render a Jew ritually unclean and commands, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” Immediately the dead man sits up and begins to speak. Luke adds a tender detail: “Jesus gave him to his mother,” echoing the language of Elijah and Elisha’s miracles (1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:32-37).

Continuity with the prophets.

Elijah raised the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24), and Elisha raised the Shunammite woman’s son (2 Kings 4:18-37), both in the same region. By performing a similar miracle at almost the same spot, Jesus shows himself at least a great prophet. Yet unlike Elijah or Elisha, who prayed and stretched themselves over the child, Jesus raises the dead by his own word of authority, revealing that he is more than a prophet, he is the Lord of life (John 11:25).

Life messages

1. Conversion brings true life. St. Augustine compares the widow’s joy to the joy of the Church, our Mother, when her sinful children return to the life of grace: “Our Mother the Church rejoices every day when people are raised again in spirit” (Sermon 98). This miracle foreshadows the spiritual resurrection of sinners and our future bodily resurrection.
2. Imitate Christ’s compassion. Jesus stops, notices, and acts with mercy. We are called to do the same: to pause in the midst of our routines, see the suffering around us, and reach out with concrete acts of kindness and support.

By meditating on this Gospel, we are invited to deepen our trust in Christ’s power over death and our commitment to mirror his compassion in our own communities.

References: Luke 7:11-17; John 11:1-44; Mark 5:21-43; 1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:18-37; John 11:25; St. Augustine, Sermon 98.

Sept 17 Wednesday: Saint Robert Bellarmine, bishop and doctor of the Church. Lk 7:31-35.

We played the flute for you…” (Luke 7:31-35 // Matthew 11:16-19)

In today’s Gospel Jesus laments the refusal of the scribes and Pharisees to accept either John the Baptist or Himself. John’s call to repentance seemed too harsh; Jesus’ table fellowship with sinners seemed too lenient. Listening with pride, envy, jealousy and prejudice, they became spiritually blind and deaf. Instead of discerning God’s action, they branded John’s austerity as demonic and Jesus’ mercy as gluttony and drunkenness (Luke 7:33-34).

The “dog-in-the-manger” attitude.

Jesus compares these leaders to street-children squabbling over games. One group wants to play wedding songs, another insists on funeral songs; neither will participate in the other’s game, and both end up frustrated. Likewise, the religious elite refused John’s stern preaching and refused Jesus’ joyful proclamation of mercy. Their pride and prejudice prevented them from seeing God’s saving work unfolding before them.

Life messages

1. Ignore and correct. Like John and Jesus, we may be criticized no matter what we do. The best response is to ignore malicious criticism while sincerely examining our actions and correcting anything wrong we find (cf. 1 Peter 2:19-23).
2. Listen with the heart. Hearing the Gospel means more than listening selectively. It requires total acceptance and prompt incorporation into daily life (James 1:22). Otherwise we risk becoming like the generation Jesus rebuked.
3. Resist indifference. Our age, too, is marked by indifference and contempt for spiritual things. Indifference dulls our ears to God’s voice. Only the humble of heart find joy and favor in God’s grace (Luke 1:52; 1 Peter 5:5).

This passage invites us to examine our own attitudes: Are we open to the surprising ways God speaks, or are we clinging to preconceived ideas that keep us from dancing to His tune?

References: Luke 7:31-35; Matthew 11:16-19; Luke 7:33-34; James 1:22; 1 Peter 2:19-23; 1 Peter 5:5.

Sept 18 Thursday:Lk 7:36-50

She loved much” (Luke 7:36-50)

The heart of today’s Gospel is an invitation to repent, do penance, and renew our lives instead of dragging around the heavy baggage of sin. It celebrates the gift of God’s forgiveness. Scripture shows again and again that our God does not delight in punishing but in rehabilitating and restoring so that we may have inner peace and harmony (cf. Ezekiel 18:23; Psalm 103:8-14).

The repentant woman at Jesus’ feet.

Luke recounts how a known sinner “a woman of the city” washes Jesus’ feet with her tears, wipes them with her hair, and anoints them with costly ointment. In stark contrast, Simon the Pharisee, who invited Jesus to dine, has intentionally omitted the ordinary gestures of hospitality. In first-century Palestine a host would normally greet a rabbi with a hand on the shoulder and a kiss of peace, wash or have a servant wash his dusty feet, and sprinkle incense or perfume on his head (cf. Genesis 18:4; Luke 7:44-46). Jesus contrasts Simon’s rudeness with the woman’s humble, public expression of repentance and says, “Her many sins have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love” (Luke 7:47).

By telling the parable of the two debtors, one forgiven a small debt, the other a massive one, Jesus underlines two truths: His own divine authority to forgive sins (something only God can do, cf. Mark 2:5-7) and the merit that genuine love and repentance deserve. At the same time, He exposes Simon’s lack of love and his refusal to see his own need for mercy.

Life messages

1. Choose mercy, not hardness. Like Simon, we can fall into lovelessness and harsh judgments, refusing God’s mercy for ourselves and others. Today’s Gospel challenges us to accept the mercy of God with gratitude and to show it in action. Serious efforts to avoid the “near occasions” of sin and to grow in virtue are both proof of sincere repentance and expressions of gratitude to the God who forgives (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10).
2. Practice forgiveness toward others. We cannot receive the daily forgiveness we need from God if we withhold forgiveness from those who hurt us (cf. Matthew 6:12-15; Ephesians 4:32). Forgiving does not mean excusing wrongdoing, but it does mean releasing resentment and choosing mercy over revenge. This is difficult, but it is the only path to healed relationships and healed hearts.

Today’s passage invites us to take the place of the woman at Jesus’ feet: to bring Him our sins, to experience His pardon, and then to rise and live as people who “have loved much.”

References: Luke 7:36-50; Ezekiel 18:23; Psalm 103:8-14; Mark 2:5-7; Matthew 6:12-15; Ephesians 4:32.

Sept 19 Friday: Saint Januarius, bishop and martyr. Lk 8:1-3

Women and Men Together in the Mission” (Luke 8:1-3)

Today’s Gospel shows how Jesus began His public preaching and healing ministry not in isolation, but in the company of the Twelve Apostles and a group of devoted women. Luke, more than any other Evangelist, highlights the presence and role of women in the life of Christ. This was strikingly countercultural. In first-century Judaism many rabbis avoided public conversation with women; some, out of extreme rigorism, would not even speak to their own wives in public. Yet Jesus welcomed women into His circle of discipleship and ministry, showing that the Kingdom of God breaks down barriers of sex, status and background (cf. Galatians 3:28).

Luke’s Gospel reflects the Blessed Virgin Mary’s own memories of Jesus and names many women: Elizabeth, the prophetess Anna, the “sinful woman” who anointed Jesus’ feet, Martha and Mary of Bethany, the bent-over woman He healed, the woman with the hemorrhage, and the women who supported Jesus and the Apostles “out of their means” (Luke 8:3). Even in His parables, Luke gives us feminine images of God’s Kingdom: the woman kneading yeast into dough (Luke 13:20-21), the woman searching for the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), and the persistent widow before the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8).

The ministry and its associates.

Jesus proclaimed the “Good News” that God is not primarily a punishing judge but a loving and forgiving Father who desires to save all through His Son (cf. John 3:16-17). Luke names some of the women who supported this mission, among them Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza whom we find again at the empty tomb on Easter morning (Luke 24:10) and Mary Magdalene, who followed Jesus out of gratitude for her healing. This diverse group of women, drawn to Jesus by His person and His message, provided food, hospitality, and financial assistance to Him and His Apostles as they proclaimed the Gospel by word and deed. St. Josemaría Escrivá remarked that at crucial moments Jesus was often better served by His women disciples than by the men.

Life message.

The evangelizing mission of the Church still needs preachers and missionaries to feed and lead the faithful, but it also relies on the active support of every Christian: living transparently Christian lives, offering fervent prayer, and giving generous financial help to sustain the Church’s works. The unnamed women and men who “served out of their means” remind us that every gift, time, talent, or treasure offered to Christ becomes part of His saving mission.

References: Luke 8:1-3; Luke 13:20-21; Luke 15:8-10; Luke 18:1-8; Luke 24:10; Galatians 3:28; John 3:16-17.

Sept 20 Saturday:Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, martyr, and companions, martyrs. Lk 8:-4-15

The Word Scattered, the Hearts that Receive” (Luke 8:4-15; cf. Matthew 13:1-23)

Today’s Gospel gives us Jesus’ first great parable about the Kingdom of God: the Sower, the seed, and the varying harvest. It is also one of the few parables that Jesus explains privately to His disciples, which shows its importance. It was meant as both a warning to listeners to be attentive and as an encouragement to the Apostles to persevere even when they meet indifference or opposition to the Gospel.

The Sower and the Seed.

The Sower is God Himself, who works through Jesus, the Church, parents, catechists, and every believer who spreads the faith. The seed is the living Word of God, which Isaiah calls “a sharp sword” (Isaiah 49:2), Hebrews describes as “a two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), and Jeremiah likens to “fire” and “a hammer that shatters rock” (Jeremiah 23:29). It is potent and life-giving, but its effect depends on the soil of the heart that receives it.

The Soil and the Yield.

The hardened path stands for people whose minds are closed by laziness, pride, prejudice, or fear. God’s Word cannot even penetrate the surface.

The rocky soil represents the emotional hearer who is thrilled by novelties but never takes root, unwilling to surrender the will to God. The Lord promises, “I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11:19).

The thorny ground portrays hearts choked by sin, unhealthy habits, and worldly anxieties, hatred, jealousy, greed, or an obsession with wealth and pleasure that strangles spiritual growth (cf. Mark 4:19).

The good and fertile soil signifies those with open minds and clean hearts who receive the Word, hold it fast, and bear fruit with patience. Scripture gives us vivid examples: Zacchaeus who welcomed Jesus into his home and changed his life (Luke 19:1-10), the “sinful woman” who anointed His feet (Luke 7:36-50), the repentant thief at Calvary (Luke 23:39-43), and in later history saints like Augustine, Francis of Assisi, and Francis Xavier. All of them show what the Word can do in receptive soil.

Life message.

Let us strive to be the good soil: listen earnestly to God’s Word, let it sink deep, remove whatever chokes it, and allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This is how we can bear a hundredfold harvest in our lives.

References: Luke 8:4-15; Matthew 13:1-23; Isaiah 49:2; Hebrews 4:12; Jeremiah 23:29; Ezekiel 11:19; Galatians 5:22-23.